Third person pov

He brought daisies today. Taehyung smiled and grabbed the flowers. He scrambled to the side of the bed where Jungkook sleeps and buried his nose there, letting out satisfied sounds. 

He hated the fact that Jungkook had gotten duller lately. After the day he had spat at him to just kill himself, he hadn't seen the even elder smile properly. He spoke less too and had stopped rambling about stuff to him. 

Until now, he hadn't realized that those meaningless blabbering of words and smiles mattered to him. He missed the continuous stares and worried questions which he left unanswered.

I don't miss him. I'm so lovesick that I got addicted to those shitty things he did. 

He accepted that he was rude the other day when he yelled at Jungkook, but he had no urge to apologize. He had gone through much more, it's only fine if Jungkook suffers too, but that didn't stop him from feeling remorse over his actions. 

He claimed that he was doing all this to make Jungkook feel the pain he had felt, to make himself feel the satisfaction of not being on the receiving end of pain.

He didn't understand that the bitter and unsettled feeling in him was not just guilt but pain too. 

It doesn't matter. This is right. He told himself.

Not putting much thought into all these things, he got out, changing into a long shirt and loose sweatpants. The clothes belonged to Jungkook because the elder hadn't washed all of his yet. Jungkook had given him these clothes to him; he loved how it reeked of him. 

 Feeling comfortable he walked down, face again serious and eyes hard. He didn't want to show Jungkook that he was, in any way, missing his cute and small actions. 

He inhaled slowly, keeping his eyes on the floor even though he wanted to look at the elder. He picked on his food, not feeling the urge to eat after taking a few bites. He sighing deeply and concluded that Jungkook really didn't know how to cook. 

Well, he's at least putting effort into doing all this. That's enough, I guess. 

"Tae, I want to ask you something..." Jungkook starts, nervously. Taehyung was startled by the sudden sound. 

He looks up for a second, letting Jungkook know that he is listening, before looking back down and continuing to eat slowly. He was glad that the elder was talking to him. 

"I had to g-go out for some work today."

Taehyung's heart sank. He didn't want to stay alone at home. Even the thought of staying alone, or rather staying away from Jungkook makes him go crazy.

 He feels fear crawl through him as he recollected the past times when he stayed alone at home from morning to evening, either busily working or crying in loneliness. 

He didn't want to feel all that again. Hell, How could Jungkook even think of leaving him alone? 

He is supposed to be Jungkook's priority right now, how could the trueblood decide to go out while leaving alone him at home?

He desperately wanted to refuse to let the elder go anywhere, but at the same time, he didn't want Jungkook to think that he needed him. Moreover, he knew he didn't have a right to hold him back from going out. 

"So?" He asks, unbothered, managing to hide the anxiousness he was feeling.

"C-can I go? Will you be able you stay here without me?" Jungkook's eyes were wide and expectant. 

He really had to go to his training institution today. He hadn't been there for so long and was working from home so he could take care of his omega, but today, he has to go to make sure everything is alright there. 

"You don't need my permission to go out, and I don't care if you go. I'm not a child. I can take care of myself."

Hurt flashed in Jungkook's face for a moment, making Taehyung feel slightly guilty. Jungkook quickly hid his sadness by smiling; the smile looked so forced that it seemed like he was wincing. 

"I will be back soon. You can call me anytime if you need anything, and Jimin said he is going to come because he can't stay away from you any longer."

Of course, he wouldn't let Taehyung stay home alone. It was dangerous; what if Jungho came here? What if they found out about Taehyung? 

He knew his father was busy with preparing the omegas for the new year and doesn't have time to even think about anything else because they're running short of omegas, yet he wanted to make sure that Taehyung was safe always.  

Taehyung gulped harshly at the thought of meeting that person who had been beaten up just because he was trying to save him. He missed him but wasn't ready to meet him.

 Jimin must be so disappointed; I've kept him away for so long. 

He had been hurting Jimin by keeping him away. His situation is so messed up that he just couldn't understand what is happening. 

Taehyung nodded. He didn't want the trueblood to leave. All he wanted to do was to curl in his embrace and tell him that he wants nothing more than to be loved back. He wanted his assurance that he doesn't love the girl anymore, that he loves him and only him. 

That he belongs to him. That only his heart and soul belongs to him and not to Hyejin. 

Jungkook went upstairs to get ready, leaving a Taehyung who was deep in thought. When the elder came downstairs, Taehyung turned around and looked at him with slight anxiousness, and Jungkook was really close to dropping his plan to go anywhere away from the omega. 

"if you don't want me to--" 

"J-just go. I'll be okay."

Jungkook heaved out a sigh and nodded. He didn't have a choice to not go, but if Taehyung had told him not to go; he would do everything to stay back home with him. 

 The trueblood turned around and made his way to the door, surprised when the younger got off his chair and came along with him to see him off at the door. 

Gulping down the want to bring the younger into his embrace, Jungkook whispered a soft 'goodbye' to the omega and turned around. 

"Bye," Taehyung said softly, looking at Jungkook with unusually soft eyes which made Jungkook's heartbeat fasten. It was the first time Taehyung had replied to something which wasn't a question. 

He wasn't going to leave just yet; he would wait until Jimin was here. He walked to his car and hopped into the driver's seat, waiting patiently for Jimin to come. 

He looked at the entrance of his house and huffed out on seeing the door now shut, the omega not in sight. 

He was getting more hesitant to speak to Taehyung now. He wanted to do it, but whenever he spoke, he just ends up angering the boy. He didn't want that. 

Somehow, he hoped that Taehyung would call him. There didn't have to be a reason, he just wanted to see if the younger misses him as much as he will. He was already missing him. 

His phone rings, and he quickly answered the call. 

"Hello? Jimin?" 

"Yeah, you can leave now. I'm just a few minutes away," the alpha said in a hurried and hushed tone. 

"I increased your work, didn't I? I'm sorry to suddenly ask you to come here--" 

"You don't need to apologize. I had been waiting for something like this to happen so that Taehyung would be left with no choice but to meet me," He said excitedly as he strived to meet Taehyung. 

His childish way of speaking made Jungkook smile. He smiled and cut the call. 

Then he drove off. He left. 

Taehyung sighed as he moved away from the window. He wasn't really scared but began feeling uneasy when the trueblood's scent started fading.

He huffed lowly, abusing his lower lip with his teeth while his eyes scanned around the huge and empty house.

He seemed hesitant to go. Was it because he doesn't want to leave me?  He pouted at the thought. 

I love him. He confessed to himself for the millionth time. He loved him oh, so much. It was making him crazy. 

Forgiving Oberon didn't feel right, his heart didn't want that. It still hurt. The wounds the elder had inflicted on him weren't healed yet, and he wasn't sure how long it would take for them to heal. 

He was conflicted. He wanted to hate him but wanted to have his love too. 

Rather, putting it in simple words, his heart desired and wanted Jungkook's love, but it wanted to continue disliking Oberon. 

He wanted to be Jungkook's everything, and he wanted Jungkook to be his everything. He didn't want to be related to Oberon in any way. 

But they are the same person, and that was what confused him. He tried to speak to his wolf, but Venus only told him to do what he wanted. Venus also said that he is sure that Oberon still obsesses over that woman, he could feel it. 

The mate bond between them wasn't dead yet. They could feel whatever the other was feeling. 

But Jungkook couldn't. He couldn't because his wolf wasn't accepting them as his mates. However, Taehyung could still feel Jungkook's feelings faintly. 

He knew there was much more to Jungkook's story, and he was dying to know what it is. What is it that caused all this? Who is that girl? Why had Oberon abused him? Why does he still love her after meeting his mate? 

The most important question was: Will it be fine to trust him? Maybe it would be, Taehyung didn't know. He had a gut feeling that Jungkook would never break his trust again.

The continuous efforts--the genuine happiness which spread his face when he did the smallest action of acknowledging his presence, the hurt which spread Jungkook's face when he made a harsh comment--made his heart want to make a mistake of trusting him again.

But he didn't wish to trust or forgive Oberon. 

He was sure the wolf didn't even want his forgiveness. He probably doesn't even care. 

He walked to the kitchen and looked around at the messy way all of it was kept. 

He shakes his head in disbelief, deciding to just wash the vessels and do the rest of the housework. He wasn't doing it as a slave but for helping Jungkook.  

He wasn't ever a slave or servant. No one had the right to enslave him in the first place.

He took the leftover food to the refrigerator. He was about to open the fridge door when his eyes landed on a small sticky note. He frowned as he pushed the half open door shut. 

His brow furrowed as he looked closely at the messy letters and words on the note, reading them carefully. 

'What my Taehyung likes:- Flowers especially roses, daisies and sunflower, apples, watermelon, pancakes, gardening, books, chocolate, sweets, pretty clothes, talking (he won't talk back, but that's alright. I'll continue trying to make a conversation), playing, cuddling (he'd kill me I touch him, so no, I'm not doing that), and board games.' was written on the paper and Taehyung could feel the love he had written all this with. 

He had really written all of this down to remember and do stuff I like? Taehyung thought, slightly amused and gratified. He couldn't help but stretch his lips to smile, a great warmth spreading in his chest because he felt like he meant a lot to the elder. 

"Taehyung?"

He snapped his head around, heart sinking when he sees Jimin. The smile on his face vanished.

His heart clenched when he sees the small mark of bruises and scars on his face. Most of them were already healed, but the deeper ones hadn't healed yet. 

The heartbreaking made him tear up and he let out a quiet sob, the alpha's frown deepening and eyes softening. 

A moment later, he was pulled into a tight embrace which made him freeze and gasp. 

He didn't know why, but he felt uneasy because there weren't any tingles spreading his body which usually does when Jungkook touched him. He was addicted to the feeling of shivers running down his spine and the tingles which made the hair of his arms stand. 

It's Jimin. That person who wouldn't ever hurt you. You can trust him more than anybody else in the world. Taehyung told himself and cursed Jungkook for making him so addicted to him that he even had to explain to himself that his bestfriend holding him is fine. 

He fell limp in his protective arms, sniffling as he nudged Jimin's neck, asking to be scented.

 His wish was immediately granted. The alpha rubbed his scent on him and within seconds, the smell of apples and wine. He grunted in relaxation, humming as he loved the smell. 

He wondered how it would feel to be scented by his mate. He wondered how it would be to be marked by Jungkook and the smell of forest wood. He knew the feeling would be nothing but good. 

He just couldn't stop thinking about Jungkook. 

"Baby, did you enjoy troubling me by keeping yourself away from me?" Jimin asks in a slightly annoyed tone as he held him tighter and growled. Jimin was highly satisfied and contented to hold Taehyung again. 

Taehyung pouted and shook his head against his shoulder and said, "I don't like staying away from you."

"Then why did you say that you didn't want me near you?"

"They hurt you because of me," Taehyung whimpered as he remembered that horrible day again. Jimin sighed and rubbed his back. 

They're both so dumb. It seems like they're always trying to find a reason to blame themselves for something.  The alpha thought. 

"No, baby. It wasn't because of you. Nothing of whatever happened that day was your fault. It's Jungho who is at fault."

Taehyung gritted his teeth. He hated that man with unexplainable passion.

"You have a lot to tell me, right?" Jimin asks, breaking away from the embrace and wriggling his eyebrows suggestively as he already knew how Jungkook had grown soft for him. 

"What? I've been in this house for the whole time; there isn't really much I can do here. What would I have to tell you?" 

"Many things happened in here too, I can say because well, he has been calling me a lot to ask questions about you." Taehyung frowned at the words, almost snorting when Jimin stressed on 'he' while referring to the trueblood.  

"He's been doing a lot of things lately, and I don't really know whether I like it or not." He wasn't telling the truth; he loved all of what Jungkook did for him. 

"Yeah?" Jimin asks, smirking when Taehyung looked away immediately. 

On remembering the past, Jimin's smile fell a little and he asks, "Do you really not like it? After what happened, you not liking him and his deeds is understandable, but you aren't forcing yourself to not like it, right?" 

Taehyung huffed, grabbing Jimin's hand and dragging him to the couch. They sat down side by side; the omega tilting his body toward Jimin. 

"It's much more complicated, Jiminie. I don't even understand what I want nowadays," He said pressed his lips into a thin line. He hoped to be advised by Jimin. 

"Explain," Jimin said with raised eyebrows, looking at him expectantly. 

"I-I like Jungkook," He said, the name sounding foreign to him as he usually calls him 'young master'. He doesn't want to call him that now. Jungkook wasn't his master. 

"I like the Jungkook but not his wolf. I love how Jungkook trying to gain back my trust and is putting effort into trying to make me feel better, but his wolf hasn't ever shown regret for his actions. Hell, I haven't even seen him for so long." 

"So...you still love him but you aren't ready to forgive him yet?" Jimin asks with furrowed eyebrows, face serious as he carefully listened to everything Taehyung had to say. 

"No, I already forgave Jungkook for what he did. He had only ever ignored me or told me a few stuff harshly. It hurt me, but it didn't traumatize me. I don't wish to forgive Oberon because I still feel the fear I used to feel back then," Taehyung muttered.

He groaned when Jimin tilted his head in confusion. "They're the same person, I know--" 

"No, Tae. There is a difference in Oberon's choices, wishes and actions from Jungkook's." 

Hesitantly, Taehyung spoke up again, "Will it be alright for me to only forgive and love half of him?"

He wets his lips, sighing before continuing to speak,

"Oberon doesn't seem interested in me but Jungkook is, and I don't know if I'm ready to forget about what his wolf did to me. He hasn't even apologized to me yet." 

"Will you let Jungkook explain everything to you first? Trust me, there is a lot you don't know. After he explains everything to you, maybe you would forgive and love Oberon too--" 

"No, Jimin hyung. I can forgive him, maybe, but I cannot love him. I can't even think of him as anyone but someone who caused me pain. T-those red eyes of his cause nothing but fear to me," his voice wavered slightly. 

Jimin immediately reached his arm out and held Taehyung's trembling hand.  He looked at him with concerned eyes and could see how pained the boy was. 

"It's up to you, Taehyung. To forgive him or not is your choice, but give him a chance to explain. He abused you and caused a lot of pain to you so it's okay to not accept Oberon, but don't punish Jungkook for something his wolf has done." 

Taehyung nodded, gulping down his anxiousness and fear, deciding that it was better not to think about the red-eyed intimidating wolf. 

"Can we go out and play?" He asks and grins when Jimin nodded instantly, chuckling.    

-----------

Taehyung lay down on the bed, eyes droopy. They had played a lot of childish games--many of them being the games he plays with Hayoon; he had forced Jimin to play them with him--which had caused him all the exhaustion he was feeling.

Jimin had left right after Jungkook had come home. Taehyung hadn't seen the elder yet because he had been on his bed even since Jungkook came home. He guessed that Jungkook was showering at that moment. 

He felt really sleepy, but he just couldn't sleep because he felt like something was missing.

He opened his eyes, grumbling about not being able to sleep. He stared at nothing in particular while feeling oh, so lonely. He knew it was the absence of his mate which wasn't letting him fall asleep. 

He was used to falling asleep while listening to Jungkook's rant or just his loud heartbeat in the quiet room.

 His presence made him feel safe and content. He didn't feel right to sleep without him being beside him on the bed. 

He sighed and grabbed the red yarn thread which lay on top of the table. He tied it around his little finger, hoping that he might just fall asleep while imagining that the elder was here, tugging at the thread to make him feel calm. 

He flinched lowly when he heard the door open abruptly.

 He held his breath in, hoping with all his will that it was Jungkook, recollecting the time when Jungho had barged into the room, grabbing a hold of his wrist and dragging him out of the room. 

He felt heavily relieved when the strong smell of fresh forest wood hit him. He inhaled deeply and slowly, relishing the scent which calmed his nerves.

"Tae?"

He doesn't reply, closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep because he wanted to listen to Jungkook's melodious voice as he ranted. 

He knew that if the elder gets to know that he is awake then he would keep quiet to not annoy him, but his voice could be anything but annoying. After a whole day of being away from him, he strived to hear his melodious and soft voice.

He felt the trueblood lay down on the bed, behind his back, and he tried to remain as calm as possible. If his heartbeat would get high then Jungkook would get to know that he is awake. 

"You're asleep," Jungkook says and then extends his hand to softly run it through Taehyung's hair. The boy held back a satisfied hum. 

"You reek of that bitch. I want to scent you so bad, but I know you wouldn't like that," Jungkook sulked, and Taehyung bit his lip to hold back a chuckle. He was sure that Jungkook was pouting.

"I waited the whole day for your call, but you didn't call. I guess you didn't miss me as much as I missed you," his voice laced with hurt. He sounded gloomy and tired.

No, I missed you very much. Even when I was playing with Jimin hyung, all I could think about was having you close to me again. It is so difficult for me to stay away from you.

"You certainly enjoyed your day, hmm? I wish I was here to see you laugh and smile. Oh, but would you smile if I was nearby? I don't think you would," He said and let out a chuckle which was anything but cheerful and happy. 

You don't know how difficult it is to not smile when you do these small things and when you show me how much you want me to be close to you.

"I strive to see you happy and smiling. I yearn to hold you, touch you, cuddle with you but..." He sniffled softly.

"Will you ever let me do that? W-will you ever forgive me?"

I can't do this anymore. No, I don't want this. I don't want you to cry. 

Jungkook was about to get up and leave as he didn't want to wake Taehyung up with his sniffles, but his actions halted when the boy turned around and held onto his wrist.

He gasped, eyes widening, shocked by Taehyung's sudden actions. He realised that Taehyung had been awake all the time and had heard him say whatever he previously said. 

He sheepishly looked away, ears turning red. He wiped away his tear with his free hand. He wanted to retrieve his hand and get the hell out of there as he was very embarrassed. 

"I-I--" 

"Wait," The omega whispered, looking at him with a frown. The softness in his voice made Jungkook's mind go hazy. 

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